Report: Thurman’s accuser has been arrested in the past for making a false report

Posted by Mike Florio on May 18, 2014, 4:56 PM EST

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Whenever someone in the public eye is accused of wrongdoing, it’s always possible that the accusation is something other than true. When it comes to the accusation made against Jets defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman, that possibility is enhanced by the reality (as reported by the New York Daily News) that his accuser previously was arrested for making a false report.

Via Seth Walder and Corrine Lestch of the Daily News, 28-year-old Jessie Steinberg declined comment on the accuracy of an online background report showing that she was once arrested for making a fictitious claim. The case had no date attached to it.

In the current case, Steinberg contends that Thurman slapped her hand and grazed her face after she gave him the one-fingered peace sign.

“I’m not hurt, but it was scary to have a man I didn’t know stand over me like that,” Steinberg said. “Just because he’s Dennis Thurman, he can’t go around and act like that towards women.”

A photo obtained by TMZ appears to show the woman firing off the middle finger to Thurman while his hand moves toward it.

Thurman wasn’t arrested, and it’s difficult to imagine anything coming from the situation. While he remains subject to scrutiny under the Personal Conduct Policy, what’s the discipline for a slap that causes no injury to a hand making an obscene gesture?

doesn’t matter if she wasn’t injured – doesn’t matter if he slapped her face, her thigh, her ass, or her hand. it’s called battery. you simply can’t go around slapping people. these are ordinary and reasonable rules of living in civilized society.

and it literally doesn’t matter what she did. the *fighting words* doctrine is a limitation on freedom of speech, not a defense for the crime of battery.

Therein lies the problem. The woman truly believes that there are a different set of rules that apply for women, if and when it is convenient to pull them out. The rules change based on what she wants, and that can change on a moment’s notice. She can never be held accountable for her behavior either, because there is one last defense that is intended to shame men into letting her behavior pass without consequence, and that is…….she’s a woman. If you try to hold her accountable, well, what kind of man are you?

“She said herself she’s fine. People get bumped on the subway all the time. In the club. A crowded street. Is this really what tax dollars are going towards?”

There’s a difference between accidental contact between two people, and when one person intentionally touched another person in a way that a reasonable person would find offensive – like slapping their hand.
The first one is what happens in the subway or the club, and the second is what Thurman appears to have done and is criminal. That is the law.

To stick up for him without knowing what happened is irresponsible. Rex mostly, but the rest of the posters on here as well. He may have been in the wrong, he may not have, nobody commenting has a clue either way. Regardless of whether she’s done this previously. Were you there? Nope, then shut up. Sad to see the ignorance that is so commonplace on PFT.

myfriendbobsacamano says:May 18, 2014 11:09 PM

She be a Giant fan

themagicfanguy says:May 18, 2014 11:17 PM

To condemn him is ignorant as well. By all accounts he briefly touched her hand, you can go all high and mighty all you want posmoo but that ain’t battery if it’s a man he did it to.

neemdaddy13 says:
May 18, 2014 10:10 PM
To stick up for him without knowing what happened is irresponsible. Rex mostly, but the rest of the posters on here as well. He may have been in the wrong, he may not have, nobody commenting has a clue either way. Regardless of whether she’s done this previously. Were you there? Nope, then shut up. Sad to see the ignorance that is so commonplace on PFT.

@Maybe people are sticking up for him because 13 witnesses, including the bartender, deny the woman’s claim. Maybe because the restaurant owner claimed he doesn’t believe the woman. Maybe because she’s lied before. Maybe because she’s the type of girl to quickly flip the bird. Maybe because her comments paint her as the type of girl to try to get attention.